The Golden Rule is often stated, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (which echoes the wording in Luke 6:31), or more simply, "Treat others as you would like to be treated." Also known as the ethic of reciprocity, the same concept has been the basis of social morality in many cultures throughout history. Although the Golden Rule is often attributed to Jesus, many forms of the ethical principle long predate him. Jesus himself, in Matthew 7:12, describes it as the "sum of the law and the Prophets."

Golden Rules in the Bible

Several passages in the Bible can be interpreted as being different forms of the "true" Golden Rule:

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Non-Golden Rules

Sometimes the Golden Rule is misinterpreted as, "Do unto others as they would do unto you," or, in an even more problematic formulation, "Do unto others as they have done unto you." Both versions tend to encourage a kind of "tit-for-tat" ethics. The latter version in particular suggests retaliation and revenge, not unlike the "eye for an eye" style of "justice" promulgated in several places in the Old Testament: